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Disney Explores its Rich History in 3 Documentaries

Disney Explores its Rich History in 3 Documentaries

  • News
  • October 11, 2010

Walt Disney is one of the first entertainment companies to carefully archive its creative works. As a result, as the films were retired and then re-released to the next generation of children, they had a plethora of material to work with in order to freshen the content and marketing. This has led to quite a number of wonderful books exploring the rich corporate history.

Now, three documentaries are being released on DVD next month, adding a new dimension to exploring the stories behind the magic. Waking Sleeping Beauty, The Boys and Walt & El Grupo are now available for pre-order at www.DisneyMovieCollections.com.

Far from a fairytale, Waking Sleeping Beauty is an unprecedented eye-opening look at the conflict, drama and tension that ushered in the second chapter of Disney’s animation legacy – a decade of unparalleled creativity that included The Little Mermaid, Beauty And The Beast, Aladdin and The Lion King, told by the people who were actually there.

The Boys: The Sherman Brothers’ Story is an intimate journey through the lives of Robert and Richard Sherman, the astoundingly prolific Academy Award®-winning songwriting team. While their songs – “A Spoonful Of Sugar (Mary Poppins)” and “I Want To Be Like You (Jungle Book),” to name a few – celebrated family entertainment and happy endings, their life together was not as harmonious. Go behind the scenes, including interviews with Dick Van Dyke, Angela Lansbury, Roy E. Disney and many more, for a fascinating glimpse into how Walt Disney used the language of music to bring the brothers together, creating a cinematic legacy like no other.

When the U.S. Government asked Disney to be a cultural ambassador to South America, the stage was set for Walt’s very own real-life adventure. With a group of handpicked artists, later called “El Grupo,” Disney’s WWII road trip achieved the impossible – goodwill – and in the process paved the way for two classic Disney films, Saludos Amigos and The Three Caballeros.  Brought to life through rare footage and enriched with never-before-seen bonus features, Walt & El Grupo is a story of inspiration, joy and hope you won’t soon forget.

Each DVD Includes:

An exceptional look at Walt Disney and the studio from yesteryear
Rare footage and interviews from Walt Disney insiders
A unique, collectible piece of Disney history
Extensive Bonus Material, taking you deep into the stories .
 
When you buy all three DVDs before November 29th, you’ll also receive three collectible 8×10 lithographs free. We strongly suggest you consider these when you begin your holiday shopping.

MOONSTONE MONDAY-Hancock Tips His Hat to Another Future Moonstone Pulp Tale!!

  • News
  • October 11, 2010


TIPPIN’ HANCOCK’S HAT-Reviews by Tommy Hancock

“WAR OF THE BEAST-MEN”
A TALE OF KI-GOR, THE JUNGLE LORD
Writer-Martin Powell
Artist-Tom Floyd

Within the pulp arena live various genres. Cowboys ride the range, super humans, both with and without masks, save the cities and the dark streets, and daring space pilots and crusaders ride the stars. Of those and many other genres, one of the often unsung favorites, and according to several pulp authors I’ve visited with, one of the most difficult and daunting is that of the White Man as Jungle Lord. Well, that does not seem to be the case for the work done in this tale by Powell and Floyd.

Many refer to Ki-Gor as a Tarzan clone and in many ways, he is just that. What Powell does in this wide vision pulp story, slated to appear soon in a forthcoming Moonstone publication, is take the basic tenets of the Jungle Lord concept and instead of changing them, as some would, he actually builds the story around them. There’s swinging through the trees, fighting jungle beasties, saving one native while battling others, one heckuva female companion who can hold her own, and even a fairly decent pulp villain to wrap it all up. And this is done in basically a handful of pages.

By putting his own twist on the very things that most people use to compare Ki-Gor to Tarzan, Powell paints a character that is more different than similar to his more popular predecessor. Ki-Gor is determined, intelligent, but also very human in Powell’s portrayal. All of the other characters in the story, including Ki-Gor’s mate, Helene, have the same mix of heroic fiction stereotypes balanced well with traits that make the reader care and connect to them all.

Art is often used to compliment a story. Tom Floyd’s art does much more than that. The wonderfully rendered images are more than just accompaniment. You feel the fear and the spit of the lizard as it chases Ki-Gor. You marvel just like the scientists do as Helene strips to her jungle outfit. You feel the heat of the beast warrior’s breath on your face. Floyd’s illustrations are pure storytelling in their own right.

Five out of Five Tips of Hancock’s Hat-And a good ol’ fashioned jungle yell to boot-Good show, Gentlemen, Good Show.

MOONSTONE MONDAY-TIPPIN’ HANCOCK’S HAT TO ‘DEATH ANGEL’ PULP TALE!

  • News
  • October 11, 2010

TIPPIN’ HANCOCK’S HAT-Reviews by Tommy Hancock
“HUNG JURY”
A TALE OF DEATH ANGEL!
Writer-Mike Bullock
Artist-Mike Metcalf

Pulp stories, in comic or prose, are known for their action, over the top characters, and the concept of good over evil.  That doesn’t mean, however, that pulp cannot have relevance or not comment on social issues.   The latest story to review for Moonstone Book’s upcoming Pulp Magazine, told in wide vision format, does just that, combining the fast paced wildness of pulp with social commentary.

The story opens with a man in his basement.  He is not alone in there, in more than one way.  Surrounded by cages, some of them with occupants, this man is alone with his perversions, passions, and playthings.  Oh, and then there’s that other thing in the basement with him.  His worst nightmare. 

Mike Bullock crafts a tale about a man lost to his own vices that is both hard to read and hard to put down simultaneously.   The description of how Lester Ginn feels about what he does in his basement makes my mind feel dirty and leaves a bad taste in my mouth.  That is what makes his eventual meeting with Death Angel and his literal judgment so satisfying.  This character in this story does what so many readers of newspapers and watchers of cable TV news wish they could do at one point or another.  Deliver justice as deserved.

For the most part, the story is taut, well focused, and clearly shows in a short period of time the downfall of a man, not only at the hands of Death Angel, but also by his own unrestrained impulses.  The only downside to this tale was the ending.  There was a clear and definite resolution, no doubt and it was most appropriate.  I’m referring to the actual ending.  It sort of just stops, which is a little jarring.  Other than that, Bullock has put down one heckuva trial and justice pulp tale.

Along with Bullock’s words, this story is told with Mike Metcalf’s images.  The shading is suggestive of something darker in every image, like there are secrets to be found within the basement, things we cannot see but know are there.  The descriptions match line for line Bullock’s words and the scenes with Death Angel are truly disturbing.  There is one, however, that is completely unsettling and yet, like Bullock’s tale, I can’t stop looking at it.  The way Metcalf captures the moment that Lester meets his ‘jury’ causes a huge shiver, but grabs on to the reader, at least this one, and insures, no matter how bothered I am, that I am following Death Angel to the very end.

Four out of Five Tips of Hancock’s Hat (usually reserved for heads of state, arresting officers, and little old ladies, which is pretty darn good.)

The Point NYCC Update: Robyn Schneider Does WHO

The Point NYCC Update: Robyn Schneider Does WHO


Meet the delightful Robyn Schneider, video blogger, literary superstar and the official video blogger for DOCTOR WHO ONLINE. We spent some great time with Robyn talking books and of course Doctor Who. Catch her DOCTOR WHO Video Blogs here or find All-Thing-Robyn here. In the meantime, we asked Robyn for her cut on the end of the last WHO season and where she thinks it might be going next year – press PLAY below to hear her response.

 

We have more New York ComicCon coming this week and our next full PodCast ion Friday will be full of NYCC tidbits!

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Will Stan Lee Sing the Kars4Kids Jingle?

Will Stan Lee Sing the Kars4Kids Jingle?

  • News
  • October 11, 2010

While the scene at the NASDAQ at Times Square Thursday night was
the polar opposite of the geek circus this past weekend at the Javits Center,
the one thing they both had in common was Stan Lee at center stage. The Stan
Lee Foundation, a new literacy program recently launched by Stan and his
business partners at POW! Entertainment, used only the thinnest veil of
superhero banter and trope to get the message out that they are serious—deadly serious—about solving
illiteracy across the globe.

“The Stan Lee Foundation is a foundation with a message,”
said the keynote speaker. “We want to make this a planet we can live with. That
way we can, uh… live with the planet… Er, that’s what the foundation was
founded for.”

Okay, I thought from the eighth row—somebody forgot
his lines. Or never took an extemp course. He should’ve had my speech coach
Jerry Lasso at Morris Hills. Three months later, you could blither all day
about sandpaper.

I turned to Richard Manitoba (aka, “Handsome Dick” of The
Dictators) who was sitting to my right and whispered, “Don Corleone, I am
honored and grateful that you have invited me to your daughter… ‘s wedding…
on the day of your daughter’s wedding.”

Richard nodded but didn’t look up from his Blackberry. He
was busy texting baseball with band-mate Scott “Top Ten” Kempner. “And I hope
their first child is a masculine
child,” he replied, then added, “Andy Pettitte is rolling over the Twins. Sixty
pitches through five innings after a 1-2-3 fifth.”

“Still bothered about that autograph?” I inquired. Stan’s handlers wouldn’t let
anyone get their books scribbled in, not even a rockstar/radio host like HD.

“Nah—I’m a big boy,” said Richard, fingers flying, both eyes on his
Blackberry. “I got my picture taken with Stan. That’s enough.”

Enough indeed. It struck me how Stan Lee reduces everyone he surveys to fanboys and fangirls. Fanpeople. I’ve known comic industry’s grand old icon as
long as I can remember. He even wrote the introduction to my forthcoming ComicBook
Babylon. But I was still jacked to get a personal invite to his
foundations’ coming out party. I’d recently helped launch the Kars4Kids
Literacy Program and was hoping to get Stan to sing the Kars4Kids jingle.
Or maybe someone else would sing it. Isn’t that Ne-Yo the R&B rapstar yaking
it up with Joe Quesada in the corner? Or maybe Handsome Dick will come to the
mike after the Yankees finish trouncing the Twins. I turned to my left to see
who else was available. Gene Colan was snoring audibly.

Stan’s stage appearance followed the keynote debacle. Our
man of the hour needed no script. “I don’t even know what I’m doing here!” Stan told his standing
ovation as he stood tall in front of an even taller projection screen with his
iconic signature plastered across it. “But it’s a little embarrassing, isn’t
it? Couldn’t they make my name any bigger?”

And then came the celebrity auction. That is celebs bidding
on comics-related items that Stan had signed. That is if you consider
behind-the-scenes marketing folks celebs of any sort. They certainly had deeper
pockets than yours truly. A VG copy of a late-issue Spider-Man went for
50-times its Overstreet value. Dutch courage, they call it. Pay heed, would-be
auctioneers, to the value of an open bar.

Auction over. Sony and Sega and IMG execs and their young,
scantily clad dates are back at the bar for refreshers. Handsome Dick finally
looks up from his Blackberry.

“Yankees win,” he said, John Sterling-like. “Theeee Yankees win!”

And then he noticed the young women at the bar for the first
time. “I don’t get it,” he said. “Look at those shiksa noses, willya? They’re so small! How can they even breathe out of those things?”

CAPTAIN ACTION ENTERPRISES, MOONSTONE BOOKS ANNOUNCES NEW WRITER FOR CAPTAIN ACTION!

  • News
  • October 11, 2010

New York Comic Con was a bevy of action and a flurry of announcements erupted from said convention.  One announcement involved the future of CAPTAIN ACTION!  It was revealed that Mike Bullock, current writer of Moonstone’s BLACK BAT comic for Moonstone’s RETURN OF THE ORIGINALS comic line, will be taking up writing chores for the good Captain and team in CAPTAIN ACTION: SEASON THREE!

“I’ll be taking over the writing on the main Captain Action title beginning with #1 of season III that should hit shops later on in 2011,” reported Bullock in an interview with ALL PULP.  “Steven Grant, the writer for season II has done some really incredible things (wait until you read #3 & 4) and I’m excited to build off that for the future of the A.C.T.I.O.N. Directorate’s top agent.”
When asked what appealed to him about writing CAPTAIN ACTION, Bullock responded, “Once the Captain Action comics
started coming out through Moonstone, I really liked what they were doing and loved the premise of the character that Fabian Nicieza had
crafted. Then, when I got my turn to write a story with Cap (The Phantom/Captain Action miniseries) it really seemed like writing
Captain Action would be a lot of fun. He lands somewhere between James Bond, Big Jim and all my favorite superheroes mixed into a giant vat of little boy wish-fulfillment, which are all things right up my alley. So as you can imagine, I’m pretty jazzed to write this book.”

It turns out Bullock is not the only one excited about this announcement.  According to Ed Catto of Captain Action Enterprises, “”We at Captain Action Enterprises, LLC, were so excited to have Mike Bullock at our booth at NYCC. Not only did fans love all the promotional material for the upcoming Savage Beauty, but they were excited that Mike will be writing Captain Action Season 3!  As usual, Mike was a big contributor and this was our best NYCC ever!”

ComicMix Six: Best NYCC 2010 Announcements

ComicMix Six: Best NYCC 2010 Announcements

  • News
  • October 11, 2010

The ComicMix team was on the ground at New York Comic Con this past weekend – but we were having too good a time bumping elbows with the luminaries of the comics industry to report on every panel. But now that we’re back on the grid, here are the ComicMix Six best announcements to come out of the weekend.

Holding The Line At $2.99 – Easily the most-discussed announcement of the weekend were the Big Two each announcing their own initiatives for keeping their publishing line at a $2.99 cover price. DC is doing it by cutting story pages from 22 down to 20 and eliminating most co-features in their most popular titles, but reserving the $3.99 and up price points for “premium” titles like annuals and specials. For Marvel’s part, they’re not going as far, with only a commitment that all new titles launched in January will be $2.99 – but they say that they can be flexible on that price because of the success of their digital comics program. Which is a nice segue to…

Dark Horse, DC Destined for Digital – Dark Horse announced that rather than partner with Graphic.ly or other digital comics providers to serve as distributor, as the other major publishing houses have, they’ve put together a “proprietary bookshelf app” for web browsers and Apple iOS devices. The benefit of rolling their own store? No censorship and a $1.49 price point for single issues. Additionally, while specifics are hard to come by, Dark Horse says that they’ll be providing brick-and-mortar comic book stores with “exclusive digital content.” Meanwhile, DC reaffirmed their commitment to making digital copies of comics from their archive available and announced expanded support for day-and-date digital releases. DC also announced a Google Android app for their comics will be made available in the near future. 

(more…)

MOONSTONE MONDAY-INTERVIEW WITH NEW CAPTAIN ACTION WRITER AS ANNOUNCED AT NYCC!

  • News
  • October 11, 2010
MIKE BULLOCK, New writer, Captain Action: Season Three, Moonstone Books

AP:  Mike, thanks for stopping by ALL PULP again, especially after your busy weekend.  Tell us a little about New York Comic Con?

 Mike Bullock: The show was a lot of fun. We started off Friday night with the Lions, Tigers and Bears panel put on by the fine folks at our new publisher Hermes Press where I was able to spend time with some great fans of the books. The convention wasn’t too crowded on Friday and it was pretty easy to find your way around and see some of the wild things going on.

Saturday, I think half of NYC crammed into the building, or so it seemed. I spent some time in artist alley talking to a lot of fine folks, then did several interviews and finished off the day by signing Phantom, Captain Action and Savage Beauty swag at the Captain Action booth.

My lovely wife and I spent Saturday night and Sunday bopping around Manhattan and Brooklyn, doing the tourist thing. I can certainly see why so many writers want to live in NYC. I can’t imagine ever running out of story ideas when you can walk through Time’s Square, Chinatown, Central Park, SoHo and Brooklyn Heights all in the same day.

AP:  Now, you weren’t at NYCC just for fun and giggles?  Share with our audience the major announcement that concerned you.

MB: Well, there were several. First was the news that my all-ages series, Lions, Tigers and Bears has moved over to Hermes Press as the flagship title in their new line of original graphic novels. We’re putting out the long awaited LTB volume III in March of ’11 and artist Michael Metcalf and I are already laying the groundwork for volume IV. Pulp fans should certainly have Hermes on their radar already, as Hermes is putting out the Phantom and Buck Rogers newspaper strip reprints, among other things. They debuted an awesome John Buscema book at the con, also. It’s something every comic art fan should own.

Next up was the announcement of the format for Savage Beauty #1, which is now an oversized 40-page book, featuring a 22-page main story, a golden age Sheena back up tale and other goodies all for the low cover price of $2.99. There was a great buzz for the book going on, which was certainly exciting. I think I signed more SB shwag than anything else.

The third announcement was that I’ll be taking over the writing on the main Captain Action title beginning with #1 of season III that should hit shops later on in 2011. Steven Grant, the writer for season II has done some really incredible things (wait until you read #3 & 4) and I’m excited to build off that for the future of the A.C.T.I.O.N. Directorate’s top agent.

AP:  That’s fantastic!  Getting a new gig is always a big deal, but is there something special for you about getting to write the further adventures of Captain Action?

MB: As a kid, I missed the Captain Action boat by a few years (I was a die-hard Big Jim kid) but when I discovered it later on in life I felt like I really lost out on something special. I mean, what kid in the ‘70s wouldn’t want an action figure that could turn into the Phantom, Spider-Man, Flash Gordon or Batman? Once the Captain Action comics started coming out through Moonstone, I really liked what they were doing and loved the premise of the character that Fabian Nicieza had crafted. Then, when I got my turn to write a story with Cap (The Phantom/Captain Action miniseries) it really seemed like writing Captain Action would be a lot of fun. He lands somewhere between James Bond, Big Jim and all my favorite superheroes mixed into a giant vat of little boy wish-fulfillment, which are all things right up my alley. So as you can imagine, I’m pretty jazzed to write this book.

AP:  As a writer, what do you think you bring to Captain Action that will make it stand out as similar, but different from what’s come before?

MB: Honestly, I don’t know that I’d ever thought of it in those terms, so I’m not sure I can give you an answer that suits the question. But, the 8-year old inside me will certainly have a blast playing with the original A.C.T.I.O.N. hero in the pages of comics. I’ve never done spy stories, so I’ll have to stretch myself/challenge myself, which is good, too.

AP:  Any major plans (or even hints and teasers) of what’s to come for Captain Action and crew from the pen of Mike Bullock?

MB: Well, you can expect to see new villains, new heroes, new threats, the return of some familiar faces and a mission that’s out of this world, literally.

AP: Thanks, Mike!  Can’t wait to see what happens with Captain Action!

MB: Thanks for having me!
                                           ________________________ 

National Graphic Novel Writing Month, Day 10: Can conventions get your graphic novel written, part three

National Graphic Novel Writing Month, Day 10: Can conventions get your graphic novel written, part three

  • News
  • October 11, 2010

Day ten, and also day three or four or ninety-seven of the New York Comic Con… and the sad truth of how they can wreck your schedules. So let’s pick up a few quickies:

For those who find they are having a little trouble there are a number of tips online that can be helpful. Below are a few tips that professionals in the industry have posted on blogs and news sites over the last couple of years.

Online at the Clockwork Storybook blog site is a nice in depth look at the writing process by Bill Willingham (writer of Fables). This takes a whole look at scripting keeping in mind that this must also be interpreted by the artist.

On his personal website Warren Ellis (writer of Transmetropolitan) posts an helpful answer to character motivation and action concerning “Want/Get/Do“.

And from our own site archives: two years ago John Ostrander (writer of Suicide Squad) posted an article with writing tips all writers can benefit from, covering the creative process and what being a writer means and does to you as a person.

Also: Dennis O’Neil did a more detailed write up on the differences between the full script method and the Marvel method which is much better than mine, and I should have lifted it directly. Here’s part one, and here’s part two.

Instead, I’ll lift his RECOMMENDED READING and suggest his book, The DC Comics Guide to Writing Comics, which somehow wasn’t included on our first list of writing books to look at. It’s truly excellent, and the only reason I can think of that it slipped my mind is that it’s constantly out on loan to other people who are using it to become better writers themselves.

Hat tip to Kyle Gnepper for the assist on tracking down articles. Remember: you can follow all the NaGraNoWriMo posts here!

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